With two judges arriving at different conclusions, the Supreme Court has directed that the issue of acquisition of properties of the late Raja Bahadur Sardar Singh of Khetri, a member of the Constituent Assembly, by the Rajasthan government be placed before the Chief Justice of India for reference to a larger bench.
While Justice R Banumathi set aside the order of the Rajasthan High Court — directing that the properties be made over to Khetri Trust, a trust said to have been created by Raja Bahadur Sardar Singh — Justice Indira Banerjee upheld the order.
Accordingly it was ordered, “in view of difference of opinions & the distinguishing judgments (Hon’ble R. Banumathi, J. allowed the appeal & Hon’ble Indira Banerjee, J. dismissed the appeal), the matter be placed before Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India for referring the matter to the Larger Bench”.
A Bar at law from England, a Rajya Sabha Member & ambassador to Laos, Raja Bahadur Singh died intestate on Jan 28, 1987.
